Administrator’s Report for February 21, 2017

Financial Update:

Budget Preparation: Budget packages for fiscal year 2017-2018 were distributed to the elected officials and county departments with instructions to make their request by March 6, 2017. Each package included a budget analysis worksheet, five-year capital improvement plan, historical actuals comparison report, and a detailed year-to-date budget report for the current year and previous year. Once the requests have been received, a recommended budget will be prepared by the County Administrator and submitted for review on May 16, 2017.

Significant Projects:

Government Plaza: Following the February 6th soft opening of the renovated Gordon County Government Plaza, the Tax Commissioner, Board of Elections and Voter Registration, and the Board of Tax Assessors have now completed two weeks of full operations in the new building. Many citizens have shared that the new location, available parking, and avoidance of unnecessary entrance screening is much more convenient than the Courthouse Annex. The Building & Grounds Department continues to improve the exterior lighting, landscaping, concrete surfaces, and interior signage. The county appreciates the hard work of our Calhoun High School and Gordon Central High School students who have been a tremendous help with many of the exterior improvements. The planning is underway for an official grand opening to be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, March 31st.

Courthouse Renovation: The county has received numerous requests for additional information regarding the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for architectural firms with experience in government projects, complex renovations, and courthouse construction. The county’s response to these questions are available to the public at www.gordoncounty.org. After the RFQ closes on March 1st, an evaluation team comprised of two County Commissioners, County Administrator, Purchasing Director, Building Inspector, and Buildings & Grounds Director will convene and select the best qualified design teams. The panel will then recommend a short list for the consideration of the Board of Commissioners.